It isn't the popular opinion, but to my mind, Kubrick and Nicholson are two of the most over-rate done trick ponies in cinema. The former can do only slow-paced pieces which are generally far less clever than they think they are, the latter plays unhinged brilliantly, but little else.
But in the shining, the slow-build of tension and the just-below-the-surface insanity create somewhat of a perfect storm. Kubrick attention to detail shines through, adding so many touches which have become iconic; even the foul way he treated his actors pays of in Shelly Duvall's genuine distress captured on screen.
The deviations from the source material are perfect for the medium - for proof see 1997's faithful, but dreadful, TV adaptation!
The effects, though sparing, stand up well even 35 years later, and even the overpass hotel was wonderfully cast, with the long corridors and sharp corner allowing for the famous shots of Danny on his tricycle, and the ballroom provides the perfect setting for both the deserted scenes with Jack drinking alone, and the busy flashbacks to the hotels decadent glory.
The films dream-logic could so easily have been a negative point, but manages to walk the line perfectly, with our never-quite knowing the full story managing to be interesting, rather than annoying.
As has become common now that we are so far up the list, there's a very good chance you've seen this classic movie; if you haven't, go do so now.
